Magic: Playoffs would make Dodger season a success

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Magic Johnson owns a piece of the Dodgers – but they clearly want a piece of him.

Johnson made his first spring visit to Camelback Ranch on Friday and spoke with the team before the daily workout. When the NBA Hall of Famer opened it up for a Q&A session, they came gunning for him.

"Matt (Kemp) asked me when we're going to play one-on-one," said Johnson, who also has been challenged by Dee Gordon. "I told him after the World Series. Whenever that is, you can have a shot at me."

Before spring training, Johnson said anything less than getting to the World Series "is not a good season for us." He softened that only a little Friday.

"Yes – if we get to the playoffs it's been a successful season," he said. "But I want to go all the way. That's just me. Sometimes you have to take baby steps to get there. Sometimes you have to make the playoffs first, understand what that's about. But, yeah, we can have a successful season without winning it all. But I want to win it all."

Johnson shook hands with as many players as he could and talked to some about what he believes is the "last piece of the puzzle" to win a championship – leaders to emerge. He mentioned second baseman Mark Ellis, catcher A.J. Ellis, ace left-hander Clayton Kershaw, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and Kemp as being team leaders "in different ways."

"He talked about being a Kurt Rambis-type leader through effort. He kind of used that comparison talking to me and Mark," A.J. Ellis said. "He talked about Adrian being more of a Kareem-type leader, quiet and stoic. He said he was kind of more like Matt when he played."

"It was fun to be a Laker for a day."

Johnson stayed for the game against the Reds, watching from a suite with former Lakers coach Phil Jackson.

"I will get to know baseball," Johnson said. "Before, I was a fan just like anybody else. Now, I'm getting to know the inner workings of a baseball organization. It takes time because you've got a lot of moving parts.

"It blows me away to think of basketball and baseball, there's such a difference. (In baseball), you're dealing with minor league systems. You're dealing with scouts around the world. It's on and on and on. Just our scouts are more people than you have in a basketball organization."